


Slow-Cooked Love

by kyaappucino



Category: VIXX
Genre: Fluff, Hybrid AU, M/M, Soft Neo, inspired by jonogtachibana's felidae series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 21:32:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyaappucino/pseuds/kyaappucino
Summary: “You’re the one,” Hakyeon had whispered, reserving Leo’s slot. He was almost surprised when he was immediately taken to the confirmation screen. Surely, prettier hybrids would be already taken? “What am I thinking?” Hakyeon muttered to himself. Maybe the assignment had come in time. He needed a distraction, and perhaps taking care of a larger species of hybrid could fill the emptiness in his heart.





	Slow-Cooked Love

Hakyeon hummed as he wandered through the grocery aisle, pushing his cart toward the Hybrid Food section. There were different price points, but he decided to check the app that his school recommended for this assignment.

“Hmm…meat, vegetables, and occasionally, ice cream. Sounds like my grocery list.” The difference was, larger hybrids often ate larger portions. Hakyeon grimaced when he saw his cart was already half full. It would surely take a dent out of his weekly budget. _At least,_ Hakyeon thinks, _the school reimburses me for buying food for my assigned hybrid. Otherwise I’d just starve!_

He was taking a course in contemporary dance, but even Hakyeon was not exempted from volunteer work. In recent years, the large-sized hybrid population had increased. The government put these larger hybrids in adoption centers, instead of leaving them free to roam about. Dragon-hybrids, lion-hybrids, and everything bigger than a bunny-hybrid was considered a serious threat, since all hybrids had a tendency to follow their animal instincts.

At least Changwon had special laws that allowed bigger hybrids to stay in shelters instead of roaming around. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He had always liked larger animals, anyway. Hakyeon picked up a bag of lion food. His assigned hybrid was an albino lion.

“Excuse me,” One of the stock girls paused in creating an elaborate pyramid out of cans and looked at him. “Yes, how may I help you?” Hakyeon pointed to the lion food and asked, “Can albino lion hybrids eat this too?”

She looked at him strangely. “No, I’m sorry sir. Our store stocks the gold option for this food, for rarer hybrids. They have pretty sensitive stomachs…”

He took one look at the price tag and was very glad that the school would reimburse his expenses. “How do dragon-hybrid trainers make a living…?” He murmured, and the girl laughed. “I’ll be sure to ask my trainer, but with the food he buys me—he earns a lot.” Her arms, exposed, had gleaming emerald scales, and her tail had a satin ribbon on the end.

* * *

 

A few moments and much conversation later, Hakyeon walked out of the hybrid grocery with a lighter debit card and a hopeful heart. Online, Leo seemed like a good and docile hybrid. The photos depicted him as a regal-looking hybrid. “Male, tall, platinum-blonde. Original genes – albino lion.” The attached photos in the V.I.X.X. Care Center were very attractive. It almost looked like a photo-shoot, if Hakyeon was being honest.

There were pictures of Leo eating ramyun, slurping and chewing, getting soup all over his soft-looking sweater. Hakyeon even saw a photo of Leo seated in a large plush chair, as regal as the albino lion genes inside of him.

“You’re the one,” Hakyeon had whispered, reserving Leo’s slot. He was almost surprised when he was immediately taken to the confirmation screen. Surely, prettier hybrids would be already taken? “What am I thinking?” Hakyeon muttered to himself. Maybe the assignment had come in time. He needed a distraction, and perhaps taking care of a larger species of hybrid could fill the emptiness in his heart.

***

Their first meeting was awkward, to say the least. Hakyeon, groceries in hand, was led to a room with a one-way mirror. There, he could see Leo seated on a plush couch. “Are you ready?” The attending vet student asked him. Hakyeon was nervous, but nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Leo was wearing ripped jeans and a dark sweater, the ends frayed with too much washing. It just made him look even more beautiful than ever, and Hakyeon felt a little underdressed in his turtleneck and jeans. The albino lion-hybrid stared into his eyes, and Hakyeon felt like Leo could see through to his very soul.

“Uhm…” the grocery bag crinkled as Hakyeon put it into his lap. Leo cocked his head to one side, curious. Hakyeon half-expected him to paw the bag. “Hey. I’m Hakyeon. I’ll be taking care of you for a while.”

“Oh.” The sound was so soft, but it charmed Hakyeon to the very core. “Thank you.”

He wanted to hear more, so Hakyeon would pass one item from his bag to Leo. When Hakyeon handed Leo some ice cream (specially formulated for albino hybrids), the other man pouted. “I don’t like this brand,” Leo said. “Why not?” Hakyeon asked, curious now. “The saleslady said that albino lions have a sensitive stomach…”

“That’s just so you keep buying their expensive stuff,” Leo said indignantly. “Did you buy any ramen?”

“Uh, no. Sorry.” Hakyeon tipped the bag to show it was empty. “Maybe tomorrow?”

After that, the lion hybrid sat on the couch and nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow.”

And there they sat in silence, until Hakyeon’s allotted 45 minutes were up.

* * *

 

A few days into taking care of him and Hakyeon already wanted to quit.

This albino lion hybrid, it turned out, liked three main food groups: coffee, junk food, and sweets. Whenever Hakyeon brought Leo the ‘wrong’ food, the lion hybrid would snort and sleep on the couch. “Hey!” Hakyeon had said the first time. “That’s rude. Wake up!”

Leo would ignore him, and Hakyeon would sigh and play games on his phone. “How am I going to get to know you, if you won’t even talk?” He asked out loud, and Leo flicked his tail sleepily, as if that answered Hakyeon’s question.

“You haven’t even touched your burger…” Hakyeon checked the oily paper bag full of food. The fries were completely demolished, but the burger, with crunchy lettuce leaves and thick meat patties, lay untouched. “What’s wrong with you, Leo?”

The vet student refused to talk about it, too. “That’s his own secret. He wouldn’t even tell me, and I’ve been volunteering for two years.”

* * *

 

He learns to be observant.

Gradually, Hakyeon’s 45-minute visits get longer, and Leo slept less and less. There was minimal talking, but now it doesn’t bother him anymore. A sunny smile would be sent Hakyeon’s way if he gave Leo a can of iced coffee from the vending machine. Leo would listen to Hakyeon talk about his day, about his dance lessons, and even his problems with other subjects and school projects. How much of Leo’s world was kept inside the shelter? Hakyeon didn’t even know. He learns that Leo likes simple things, and prefers soft food.

The steaks and burgers Hakyeon buys for Leo remain untouched, even if the hybrid’s mouth was already watering. But he likes them—Leo would put the paper bag by his side, even when the burger was already getting cold. At one point, Hakyeon saw Leo tearing the meat into smaller pieces, and grimacing a little when he tried to chew. One time, Leo yawns, and Hakyeon sees his teeth neatly filed into rows. “…is this why you can’t eat meat?”

The lion hybrid looks down, cheeks pink. “….yeah. The last person who took care of me…he didn’t like my teeth. Said I might hurt him. It still hurts, a bit.”

“I hope I never see him,” Hakyeon says, crushing his soda can out of annoyance. “He sounds like a jerk.” “It’s okay,” Leo says, prying the soda can out of Hakyeon’s fingers. The lion hybrid’s fingers are warm against his own. “That was a long time ago.”

“Still!” Hakyeon said, whining. “He should’ve left your teeth alone…”

Leo chuckled. “Thanks for caring about me.”

It made Hakyeon’s heart flutter more than he would have liked.

* * *

 

After his daily visit to the hybrid center, Hakyeon returns home. There had to be something he could do to help Leo eat. He asks his sister for suggestions. “Slow-cooking the meat makes it tender. Maybe he can eat that?”

“How do I slow cook meat?”

“Lemme show you.”

Hakyeon’s sister shows him the recipe, and explains that the crockpot could even cook food while he was in class. He tries it and makes burritos, carefully wrapping the meat around soft pita bread. Everything nice and soft, for Leo.

When he visits the hybrid center that day, Leo’s head rises immediately, smelling freshly-cocked meat. “Here,” Hakyeon says gently, handing him a Tupperware container full of aluminum. “I made these for you.”

Leo looked at the container suspiciously. “It isn’t anything dangerous,” Hakyeon says, laughing. “my sister helped me, so it’s definitely edible. Here.” Hakyeon uses one fingernail to unwrap the foil from the burrito, and steam rises from within.

The pita bread had gotten a little soggy, but it was still good. Leo still didn’t look convinced. “I’ll prove it.” Hakyeon takes a bite of the burrito, and at this, Leo copies him. The meat was so soft, it melted in Hakyeon’s mouth. Buying the more expensive cut of meat was definitely worth it.

“I thought you…didn’t know how to cook.” Leo murmured, as he tried to bite into the burrito. There was no wince of pain, and Leo started to eat enthusiastically, his tail swishing back and forth in pleasure. “I still don’t, but...I just…wanted to make you something.”

Words are clumsy now, but Hakyeon manages to explain that he just wanted Leo to experience eating meat. “The beef is a bit expensive, but you’re…” the words catch in his throat. “…worth it.”

Before Hakyeon knows what’s happening, Leo leans his head on Hakyeon’s shoulder. “Thank you. For this.”

He doesn’t have the heart to tell Leo that he won’t be visiting forever. But he really wants to adopt him, too. “You’re welcome,” Hakyeon says gently. “Anytime.”

He could get a job in the fall. He’s willing to make it work.

He’d fallen in love even before Leo whispers, “I’m very thankful.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry to submit this late! Hehe but I hope the story is enjoyable anyway. The Felidae series is inspired by jonogtachibana's artwork on twitter, and I'd like to thank the promtper! :) I got to see how talented they were.
> 
> Credits to [Queen Sinnamon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenSinnamon/pseuds/QueenSinnamon) for inspiring one scene from her thread [here](https://twitter.com/QueenSinnamon/status/878582664088895488?s=19). :D


End file.
